Releasing Rajiv Gandhi’s killers will set a dangerous precedent: Centre to SC

The Supreme Court on Friday took into record the affidavit filed by the Union of India (UOI), stating that the President had rejected the proposal to release seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case and adjourned the matter.

A two-judge Bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Ranjan Gogoi and also comprising Justice Naveen Sinha, adjourned the matter for four weeks. It, however, did not fix any date for further hearing in the case.

The Centre, in its affidavit, stated that it rejected the Tamil Nadu government’s proposal to release the seven convicts.

The UOI further said that the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi was the most heinous and gruesome crime, a brutal act, which brought the Indian democratic process to a grinding halt in as much as the general election to the Lok Sabha and the perpetrators did not deserve any leniency.

The Centre, in pursuance of Section 435 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), did not concur to the proposal of Tamil Nadu government for grant of further remission of sentence to seven convicts.

Releasing of killers of a former Prime Minister will set a very dangerous precedent.The case has been decided by various forum of judiciary and executive and the prisoners do not deserve to be set free, the UOI affidavit added.